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I am a licensed psychologist with over a decade of experience working in the “trenches” of primary care with medical providers and residents. I’ve heard consistently that practicing medicine can be incredibly rewarding and draining – sometimes on the same day. I wholeheartedly believe that supporting providers through these ups and downs is critical to sustaining our health care system. While that support can take many forms, I have often found myself helping providers manage the consistent tension between their occupational calling, the toll it takes on their personal lives, and the concrete stress of daily clinical practice.

My approach to clinical care is both compassionate and practical. Each provider brings a unique experience and history, and I aim to help individuals function more effectively in their personal and professional lives as soon as possible. My focus is not on psychological labels but instead on helping people cope and get “unstuck” through evidence-based approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). If you’re interested in learning more, I’m happy to offer an initial 20-minute consultation call so we can determine together the best approach for your situation.

On a personal level, I love taking road trips with my family, coaching my sons’ sports teams, eating tacos, and watching soccer (the “real” football.)

As a licensed clinical psychologist with 10 years of experience working side-by -side with primary care clinicians and specialists, I’m extremely passionate about meeting the emotional needs of medical professionals serving our rural and underserved communities. I earned my PhD from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2010. Inspired by the intersection of medicine and psychology, I went on to complete a postdoctoral fellowship at Access Community Health Centers and University of Wisconsin Hospital & Clinics before venturing out to the rural Oregon coast.

When not working, my free time is spent hanging out with my daughter, engaging in creative pursuits, exploring the beautiful state of Oregon in my vintage truck camper, and traveling as much as time and funds will allow.

As a clinician and social justice advocate, I am committed to promoting meaningful and inclusive spaces for diverse communities. My experience has been in community mental health working with multidisciplinary teams, higher education training graduate students, and tech. With my intersecting identities, I aim to empower and tailor care for healthcare professionals to heal, build community, and create collective strength at the individual and systemic level.

As a daughter of immigrants, I am energized by time spent with loved ones, especially if it involves cooking and food! I also love being active with my dog Murphy and turning my home slowly into a plant filled space.

I have worked in academic medicine and various healthcare settings including ambulatory care, emergency rooms, and community health centers as a licensed psychologist and dual diagnosis clinician. I am currently the Behavioral Health Director at Hawaii Island Family Medicine Residency as well as Professor Emeritus at the College of Health Professions at Pacific University in Oregon. In 2022, I became a Board Certified Lifestyle Medicine Professional. I have extensive experience working with residents, physicians, executive management, and other health care professionals on implementing effective wellness frameworks, lifestyle management protocols, career/leadership endeavors, and psychotherapy.

I value cultural humility, anti-racist practices, and trauma-informed environments within systems of care. I enjoy living in Hilo, Hawaii with my three French Bulldogs, and love cooking and gardening; orchids are my specialty.

I have worked alongside health care clinicians my entire career, starting in 2011 rounding in the hospital and working in the ED in South Chicago. From academic medicine to rural primary care, I understand the culture of medicine and struggles and sacrifices you make to do your work. Whether it is a life transition, getting through residency, maintaining a two clinician household, relationship struggles, or recovery from a bad outcome or loss we all need a little support.

I spend my free time exploring the PNW, spoiling my fur babies, being active outside, and cooking.